Echoes, Decisions, Shadows
by moonlightrurouni
Summary: Sequel to 'Past, Present, Future'. One month after the war, Orihime healed. One month after the war, Ichigo protected the one he loved. One month after the war, Maverick realized who he was. One month later, their lives that were peaceful are once again thrown into chaos. Somethings just don't like keeping quiet...
1. Orihime, Ichigo, Maverick

**_Echoes, Decisions, Shadows_ **

**Hello dear readers. MoonlightRurouni is here once again with a new story. IT MUST BE NOTED: This is a SEQUEL to my other story 'Past, Present, Future', which SHOULD be read first, prior to this one in order for the story you're reading to make anysense. Of course, I have no control over whether or not you'll actually listen to me, but if things get confusing: YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.**

**I'd also like to make it clear that for those of you who have read PPF, the update time (unfortunately) will not be as consistant as in the previous story, mostly because of school, and 'Cursed to Forget' (which is a collab with the lovely TheCatWithTheHat. You should read it. Hint, hint, wink). But gaurenteed it will be updated at least once a month, or so Aizen help me.**

**Either way, I'll stop rambling now, and let you get reading!**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Beach, however Maverick is my character.**

* * *

**Orihime**

I

Smile shyly at him as he walks towards me,  
bag over his shoulder,  
Scowling as usual. "Ichigo-kun!"

"Can't

You drop the '-kun' part already?" he asks,  
and his scowl becomes an  
Amused half smile. "I

Believe

That I don't call you 'Inoue' anymore, right?'  
He takes my bag out of my hands and I fall in step beside him.  
"I know, it's just

That

"I've been calling you 'Kurosaki-kun'  
For so long." I blush slightly.  
"But don't worry!" I skip in front of him,

"I'm

Working on it!" I promise, striking a cute pose.  
Ichigo snorts, and I feel like I drank  
A cup of hot chocolate, with wasabi and red bean paste-my favourite!

"Lucky

Me then." he says, and his half smile  
Becomes my smile.  
The one he only shows me. Bright

Enough To

Light up any room.  
Warm enough to let me know I'm safe,  
And shown enough to make me feel so lucky I

Have him.

* * *

**Ichigo**

She

Skips beside me as we walk home,  
And giggles when a little bird,  
starts to sing in a near by tree.

Means

Today's probably going to be a good day.  
But then again, ever since Chad's gig,  
Everyday has been a good day.

Everything,

Anything that happens,  
It doesn't faze me.  
The only thing that will make me lose it,  
Would be if something were

To

Hurt her, but that's basically impossible.  
Because if something wanted to get her,  
They'd first have to go through

Me.

* * *

**_Maverick_**

_It's_

_Monday. First week of April.  
__There's a bird singing as I walk home.  
__It's not exactly_

_Odd that_

_It just happens to stop,  
__Just when I pass by its nest.  
__It falls silent, as if under threat,_

_Even_

_If I'm a fair distance away.  
__It's been happening a lot.  
I probably would've never noticed before but_

_Now_

_I have a fairly good theory  
__About why they fear me.  
__And why I've been interested in certain things._

_He's,_

_Well, was, not exactly  
__the kind of person  
__Animals would enjoy the company of._

_Still,_

_I wonder how he could've stood it.  
__Being feared by others.  
__Having the power to easily kill. A_

_Part_

_of me questions,  
__Whether or not I should be concerned,  
__That a 'monster' of sorts was reborn in me._

_Of_

_Course, the logical part says,  
__He's an ancestor and nothing more,  
__At least, that's what it's telling_

_Me..._

* * *

**Alrightie! Prologue/recap finished, onward to the first chapter next update! ****So, what do you think? Loved it? Hated it? Glad I made a sequel? Tell me via a review!**

**-Moony**


	2. Smile

**GAH! It's been forever since I've updated, hasn't it DX Gomen minna! I HAVE A VALID REASON THOUGH! Mostly because of school which is being more problematic than anticipated, and the fact that I've had something going on after school every single day for the past week or so -sigh- But it's better late than never, so YEA! **

**I'd like to dedicate this to someone very special to me because this poem directly relates to how they make me feel \(^w^)/ Love you lots!**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Beach,nor the song referenced (it belongs to Avril Lavigne) however Maverick is my character.**

* * *

**RECAP:**

**normal font= Orihime**

**underlined font=****Ichigo**

_**italics= Maverick**_

* * *

**Smile**

You said "hey,  
What's your name?"  
It took one look ,and now I'm not the same  
Yeah you said "hey," and since that day  
You stole my heart and you're the one to blame

I skip through the halls,  
humming to myself.  
It's lunch time again,  
and all that's left for me to do,  
is to find my favourite fruit.

I giggle to myself and hide behind the corner,  
Hearing his footsteps coming down the hall.  
"Kurosaki-?" I stop mid-sentence when I jump out of  
my hiding place,  
only to find the hallway empty.

I turn around and plant my hands  
on my hips, heatedly arguing to myself  
that I had heard him here.  
I puff out my cheeks and,  
"Boo!"

I squeal as two strong arms wrap themselves around  
my waist and spin me around.  
"What did I say about calling me  
by my first name Orihime?"  
I laugh, tossing my hair out of my face.

"Gomen ne!" I beam at him as we come to a stop,  
still locked in his arms.  
We stand silently for a moment, just smiling.  
"You're smiling more Orihime."  
He comments, brushing a strand of hair out of my face.

I can tell by his eyes, that he is  
remembering how I was before.  
One month ago, when I kept everything inside.  
"Any specific reason why?"  
He asks, cocking an eyebrow at me.

"I just have a lot to smile about!"

Yeah, and that's why I smile. It's been a while, since every day, and everything has  
felt this right  
and now you're turning it all around,  
And suddenly you're all I need,  
The reason why I smile

:)

* * *

**:P**

**So what did you think? Question, comments, concerns, inquieries? Send a REVIEW and tell me what you think!**

-moony


	3. Our Song

**HAS ANYONE READ THE NEW CHAPTERS FOR BLEACH AND NARUTO?! (why am I speaking in caps...?) Honestly, geta-bousi freaking has _connections_ O_o Also, I have no clue if anyone has/is doing this, but whenever I reference a song, I HIGHLY reccomend you listen while reading. Just saying. The title of the poem is the song title, and the artist's name is found in the disclaimer :P**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Beach,nor the song referenced (it belongs to Ron Pope ) however Maverick is my character.**

* * *

**RECAP:**

**normal font= Orihime**

**underlined font=****Ichigo**

_**italics= Maverick**_

* * *

Our Song

On our first date, I asked you to dance.  
You turned bright red and started to laugh.  
I stay straight faced until you stopped.

* * *

I hold open the bakery door,  
and Orihime ducks her head underneath my arm. (Swoosh. Clank.)  
I follow in after her, and find her at our usual booth.

"Thanks for walking me to work Kurosaki-kun!"

She says happily, brushing her hair out of her eyes.  
I drop my jacket in my seat, and walk over to the counter.( Thmp. Vwsh.)  
"No problem Orihime. Did you want our usual?"

"Hai! Ummm, eto, actually, may I have a coffee with  
extra shot of espresso, and pistachio?"

She asks. I raise my eyebrows in response.  
"Sure. Why not?" I say. It's odd though. (Scrape. Tmp.)  
She's always ordered a hot chocolate. A caramel moca if she's tired.

"Thanks Kuro-Ichigo!"

I shake my head in amusement as I order.  
The wind chimes by the door ringing by the window. (Ring. Tinkle.)  
I pick up the coffee, (extra espresso, and with pistachio) and hot chocolate and walk back.

"Arigato Ichigo! Soshite…gomen."

I scowl into my hot chocolate.  
"Relax Orihime. Force of habit…" (Hnnn. Sigh.)  
I comment, then raise my eyebrows at her expression.

"Something's missing…"

I watch curiously as she rummages around in her bag,  
for whatever food item she thinks will complete (Rustle. Crumple)  
her drink. Knowing her, it'll be red bean paste…

"Kore! Definitely this!"

I do my best not to gag as she dips  
a sheet of seaweed into her coffee. (Plunk. Drip.)  
"Are you sure that's…safe Ino-in coffee?"

"Well…I've never tried it. But it tastes  
great!"

She says, popping it into her mouth.  
I smirk as she blinks innocently, (Keh. Tch.)  
a hand rubbing her stomach.

"Nani?"

"It's nothing. You're eating habits are…interesting."  
I simply say. She grins back and begins humming. (Hmmmm. Haaaaaahh.)  
And I listen to the unnamed song she sings.

* * *

Won't you take my hand?  
Take my heart,  
Promise to never stop dancing once we start  
Oh, oh  
'Cause this is our song.

* * *

**A quite very fluffy song. And, ironically, that first verse is quite accurate to what happened in PPF O_O**

**So what did you think? Question, comments, concerns, inquieries? Send a REVIEW and tell me what you think!**

-moony


	4. Echo

**MOTHER OF AIZEN IT'S BEEN FOREVER -flails around- I offer my most sincere apoligies for neglecting this story. It hasn't been updated in so long, despite the shortness of its chapters that it is quite shameful of me...I vow to do my best to update again asap, but I just got back to school after missing a week and am still digging myself out of a deep hole of homework -cries-**

**...**

**-watches forlornly as a tumbleweed blows past-**

**DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING! BACK LAYWERS! BACK I SAY! I also do not own "Echo" by Jason Walker**

* * *

**_Echo_**

_Hello, hello  
Anybody out there? Cause I don't hear a sound  
Alone, alone  
I don't really know where the world is but I miss it now._

* * *

_I sit on the park bench and _

_watch_

_the people passing by, _

_minding_

_their own buisness. _

_Going_

_about on their own days. I _

_wonder_

_as I watch. Is it her? Or Him? Could they possibly _

_be_

_like me? Someone _

_living_

_a double life. Whose memories _

_replay,_

_though they belong to another. _

_Are_

_they out there? The people who _

_carry_

_memories of the other eight. Those who_

_remember_

_the great nine, the (supposedly)_

_undefeatable_

_nine? My eyes_

_light_

_upon a short girl_

_standing _

_by the dark tree line . She_

_glares_

_at me with her strange blue eyes I can_

_see_

_from here. Her lip _

_curls_

_into a snarl, and _

_whirling_

_around, lighting blue hair_

_splaying_

_out behind her. And before she_

_vanishes_

_I see her right cheek that is_

_scarred._

* * *

_Cause my, echo, echo,  
__is the only voice coming back.  
Shadow, Shadow,  
is the only friend that I have..._

* * *

**I promise to try and update again as soon as I can, but exams are next week, and I have all my final projects due this week as well too, so the soonest gaurenteed update will probably be two tuesdays from now...prehaps next week if I can juggle it all...**

**So what do you think? Send me a shout via a review!**

**-moony**


	5. Scrambled

**Hey everyone! Firstly, I'd like to thank everyone who as reviewed up until now. It is quite appreciated, and keeps my motivation up to keep writing :) Now ****_technically_**** I should be studying for exams, but because I'm feeling pretty darn good about that math exam, I felt like writing, and voila! This is the result.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Bleach. If anything I own Maverick and mystery girl from the previous chapter. But aside from that? Zip. **

* * *

**Scrambled.**

I woke up this morning,  
then brushed my stairs  
left for school with Kurosaki-kun,  
holding hands as we walked up the hair.

I went to all my classes,  
and ate my lunch without red bean face.  
I reassured them I wasn't sick,  
when I saw their concerned and confused paste.

We walked home together,  
and he kissed my cheek under the street light,  
I didn't say a word,  
because I've been scrambled up since last night.

Because the dream about the Darkness,  
Back with the sand and the despair.  
With the dark hair falling,  
and blood everywhere.

With the small cries echoing,  
and the mysterious weight gain.  
Something is telling me,  
Soon everything is going to change.

* * *

**If anyone is completely lost because of the first two stanzas, the title should give you a hint on how you should read it.**

**So what did you guys think? Questions, comments, concerns, inquiries? Don't forget to review!**


	6. Someone

**Hey minna! Before we commence the story, I'd just like to thank Cat and Nypsy for reviewing so consitantly. It makes me quite happy :3 **

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing!**

* * *

**Reminder:**

Orihime pov

Ichigo pov

_Maverick pov_

* * *

**_Someone _**

_Up there,  
(if there even is an 'up there')  
must seriously hate me._

_My _

_shoes skid on the pavement,  
as I turn a sharp corner,  
covering my ears as a _

_gut_

_wrenching, inhuman wail  
rings out from behind me.  
Another white monster-a hollow-_

_is_

_after me. Again. Third freaking time in four days.  
I don't know if it's because of _his_  
left over powers, but something is_

_telling_

_me that it linked to him,  
one way or another.  
It's late so luckily (or unlikely) no one sees_

_me_

_running away from  
what appears to be thin air.  
Suddenly, Inoue appears out of nowhere._

_That_

_Startles the hollow, as it  
shrieks with glee, turning  
its attention to her when_

_Something_

_Wreathed with a golden light  
flies at it, shattering the mask,  
like a knife through butter._

_Is_

_This Inoue's true power?  
__Attack, defense and healing, all rolled into one.  
I'm about to ask when I hear a_

_Terribly _

_Animalistic wail of joy rings out behind me.  
And I turn so see Inoue with a piece of its  
mask in her mouth, with a crazed look on her face that is_

_Wrong._

* * *

**oooOOOooo...dun dun dunnnn... (?)**

**What did you think? Send over a REVIEW with your thoughts! **

**-moony**


	7. Wrong

**...-tumble weed rolls past-...  
My lack of activity...it makes me want to cry...;_; I am so sorry I haven't been posting for so long. Basically all my stories have various levels of dust and cobwebs piling up on them, and school and life in general is not helping. On top of that, I'm pretty sure I've developed an irrational fear of opening doors -cries-**

**I hope this chapter makes up for at least a little bit for my neglection towards fanfic...**

**DISCALIMER: I don't own Bleach.**

* * *

**P.o.v guide**

Orihime

Ichigo

_Maverick_

**Other**

* * *

**Wrong**

I CAN'T even think of a more appropriate adjective to describe this GRUSOME feeling, swelling up inside me. I stumble through my front door, UNABLE to believe that I let someone (Maverick-kun none-the-less) see me like that. I've kept it, that FORBIDDEN desire-to consume the FALLEN souls-! I lurch towards the bathroom, barely making it over the toilet as my stomach REJECTS its contents, but nothing comes up. Inhaling shakily, I screw up my courage and face the mirror, and stare back at the girl whose pale pallor and shrunken eyes should be made ILLIGAL. I stare at my reflection, and lift up the end of my shirt.. It should be IMPOSSIBLE. It CAN'T be. But AGAINST all odd, all logic it's there. I let my shirt fall back down and my eyes meet those of the alive-but-dead me in the mirror. "It ISN'T there. You have to be imagining it…!" I choke on my words and double over, the doppelganger doing the same. **Hey Hime-chan.** NO. It COULDN'T…it CAN'T be. Tears stream down my face, tears I SHOULDN'T be shedding. NOT his. It CAN'T be! But…he was the only…**Pet-samaa, wanna play again today?** NO! I crawl towards the wall, and press my cheek against it. And I hesitantly slip my hand under my shirt to feel the bump that SHOULDN'T, CAN'T but is IMPOSSIBLY there.

* * *

**Kudos to Nypsy for guessing it first: it is what you think it is.**

**So what do you think? Don't forget to review!**

**-moony**


	8. Something

**Umm...Hi. So I haven't totally given up on this story, it's just life has been really frustrating (among other things). HOWEVER I promise to be more active, and hopefully that'll also mean the return of weekly updates. **

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing**

* * *

**Reminder:**

Maverick  
Ichigo  
Orihime

* * *

**Something**

Is missing.  
and it has been for weeks.  
Orihime hasn't been at school  
for ages.  
It's terrifying me.

Not that I'm too worried.

Orihime is a big girl,  
and she can take care of herself.  
She's not so delicate that a simple hollow hunt  
would injure her so badly.

Not that she'd ever get hurt or anything.

She's got her Rikka,  
so she can heal herself.  
And she can protect herself.

She's totally fine.

Not that anything really bad would've happened.


	9. Three Weeks Ago

**Right-to! Firstly, I'd like to thank nypsy, naleah, and TheCatWithTheHat for their reviews and constructive criticism. I appreciate it greatly :) I know that there were some concerns about why Ichigo wasn't really freaked out over Orihime being away from school for a long time, but hopefully the next couple of chapters will clear things up.**

**Enjoy!**

**Let us all assume that I own nothing aside from my OC's, ne?**

* * *

**NOTE: When chapters have ** in their title, it means that certain events in the poem are occurring in the past.**

**I.e In this chapter it changes to the past when the bold starts**

**_Three weeks ago_**

_I saw Inoue in the street.  
Three weeks ago  
I saw the blue haired girl again.  
Three weeks ago…  
Things changed again._

**"Well lookie here. You know,  
You should be more subtle if you're  
set on stalking me."**

_I jump in surprise, bumping against the ally wall  
still managing  
to keep a stoic face.  
Still managing  
Not to stare at her scar._

**"Um, hello? Batboy,  
cat got your tongue?"**

_"Don't call me that."  
I say flatly.  
"What's your name?"  
I say flatly.  
And why do you irrationally irritate me?_

**"I'll call you whatever I want.  
****The name's Mia. Yours?"**

_"Maverick."  
Curiosity getting the better of me,  
I ask, "How could you tell?"  
Curiosity getting the better of me,  
I ask, "Where are you going?"_

**"None of your beeswax Batboy.  
Besides, you're not the subtlest of  
people."**

_I'm about to snap back,  
when I notice  
a third presence above us.  
When I notice  
it's concealed power. I grow uneasy._

**"What's up? You look spooked.  
Feeling okay there?"**

_I take a step towards her and take her hand.  
Inhaling sharply,  
I let my eyes flick up at the roofs above us.  
Inhaling sharply,  
I glare at her when she rips her hand out mine._

**"Oh get your panties out of a knot,  
that's just otou-baka.  
Oi! Get down here Pops, I got him like  
you wanted me to. You're talking to him now."**

**...**

**"Maa, maa Miaulin. You're so mean to me,  
despite being my favourite student…  
-fwap-  
Anyways, hello there Maverick-chan.  
You're familiar with Ichigo-chan and Orihime-chan, yes?  
Well, I'd like to ask you a favor…"**

* * *

**Hopefully that little character change at the end is obvious for you guys to tell who it is ;) So! I hope this clears at least a couple things up about the holes the last chapter, and don't forget to leave a review!**

**See you soon!  
-Moony**


End file.
